


Little Talks

by ElopeToTheSea



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, Memory Alteration, Memory Loss, Pining, Shibuya AU, Subarashiki Kono Sekai | The World Ends With You References
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:27:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23931535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElopeToTheSea/pseuds/ElopeToTheSea
Summary: When Sora woke up, there was little he could recall. Large pieces of his memory were suddenly gone. Vanished in the air with the swift slash of a blade. He didn’t know how he’d gotten to the strange place he was in, or why the ache in his head continued to throb even after he’d gotten up.The streets around him were buzzing with life, while the spectaculars around him shone bright in neon colours. Feeling the pressure from being in such a strange place, Sora began to feel uncomfortable. He knew there was a reason why he was there.Why he was here, at Shibuya.
Relationships: Kairi & Riku (Kingdom Hearts), Riku/Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Sora & Vanitas (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 71





	Little Talks

* * *

Day 1

* * *

When Sora woke up, there was little he could recall. Large pieces of his memory were suddenly gone. Vanished in the air with the swift slash of a blade. He didn’t know how he’d gotten to the strange place he was in, or why the ache in his head continued to throb even after he’d gotten up.

The streets around him were buzzing with life, while the spectaculars around him shone bright in neon colours. Feeling the pressure from being in such a strange place, Sora began to feel uncomfortable. He knew there was a reason why he was there.

The place didn’t ring a bell in his memory, but there was something else that definitely told him he was where he was supposed to be.

Little by little, his memories began to come back, seemingly triggered by his surroundings. Or well, how _different_ it was from what he knew. 

This wasn’t Destiny Islands.

A pang in his left hand startled him away from the buildings. There were bright red numbers embedded like a tattoo. It was a clock, slowly counting down to zero. Sora blinked confused.

“What’s this?” he said out loud.

He attempted to call over someone, anyone, in hopes that they could explain it to him. But no one answered. It was as if he were invisible. He tried again. Uncertainty weighed heavy on his chest when no answer came. The sudden realization that he was _alone_. Without knowing what was happening around him. 

He began walking. Wandering through the streets of someplace he didn’t know, trying to find a clue of where exactly he was supposed to go. It didn’t take long for him to find out.

By the Statue of Hachiko, he was attacked by the strange creatures. On instinct, he tried to attack them with his wooden sword. The one he used back in the Islands. Before he realized that he didn’t _have_ it. 

This wasn’t good.

He was about to run away when a voice called from the other side of the sidewalk.

“You’ll do!” the stranger’s voice echoed. “Use your pins, idiot!”

It wasn’t exactly the best type of help, but it was help, nonetheless. Sora took it. The pins on his pocket helped him summon a sword. It wasn’t sturdy or powerful. In fact, it barely caused the creatures any damage at all. But there was no use on being picky when he didn’t _know_ what was happening. Besides, a sword was a sword and it did what it had to.

Just barely scraping by, Sora got rid of the creatures. That’s when he saw the person who offered his help.

He had to do a double-take. For a moment, he thought he was staring at a mirror.

“You’re _bad_ at this,” the person commented.

“Sorry,” Sora replied with a sheepish smile. “I didn’t know what I was supposed to do.”

“Great, I got stuck with a useless partner,” the boy said, annoyance clear in the way he spoke. “Just my luck.”

Sora felt like he should be insulted but couldn’t find in him a reason to be. After all, he was kind of useless in this situation. He didn’t know what was going on, nor how to even defend himself.

“Partners?” Sora asked.

“Yeah, in the Reaper’s Game?” the boy asked with a raised eyebrow.

Sora only stared back, hoping to get another clue. But the boy didn’t seem to be willing to give more. Instead, he sighed and moved away. Sora gasped and quickly began walking by his side.

“I’m Sora, by the way,” he said, trying to chat up. The other boy didn’t even look at him, only walking a bit faster than Sora could keep up. “And you?”

“Doesn’t matter,” he replied. “Get moving.”

“Moving to what?” Sora asked. The question clearly bothered the other, but Sora just couldn’t stay quiet. He didn’t know _why_ he was here and not on Destiny Islands, or what the ‘Reaper’s Game’ even meant. “What’s going on?”

“Listen, kid,” the boy turned around. “I don’t have time for this. I need to win. Something very important is on the line for me. And either you keep up, or you get lost. This is my second time playing this stupid game, and I don’t want a kid blowing this up!”

Sora listened, slightly scared by the vicious way those red eyes were staring at him. He was uncomfortable but still nodded weakly.

“Good,” the boy replied. He turned around. Hesitated for a minute. Then said, “Vanitas.”

Sora smiled. The guy was scary, but he had the feeling he wasn’t _all_ bad.

“Now hurry, we need to get to building 404 quick,” Vanitas said, picking up the pace.

“Building 404?” Sora asked. “Why there?”

“In your phone, dumbass,” Vanitas said. “That’s the mission for today. Do you even know how to use a phone?”

Sora didn’t. He took it out, trying to remember. His phone was different from this one. For starters, this one had a touch screen instead of being a flip phone. And all the apps he recalled where substituted by a bunch of things he couldn’t understand why they were there.

The silver lining was: the e-mail icon was the only truly important thing he needed to know how to use. There, a clear message was written.

_“Get to the Building 404. You have two hours.”_

They reached the place in no time. Sora managed to get a hang on the Pins, with a bit of help from Vanitas who, in his words, said: _“I’m not letting you get me killed. Here, this is how you use them!”_

He really wasn’t a bad guy after all.

“We survived the first day, yippie,” Vanitas said with the most deadpan scowl he’d ever seen.

“Now what?” Sora asked.

“We wait,” Vanitas said. “For the next day. We get a new mission, we complete it. End of the day. Rinse and repeat until this hell of a week is over.”

“That doesn’t sound very fun,” Sora said with a sigh.

“Fun? Do you even know why you are here?” Vanitas asked.

Sora didn’t. So far, he had only been following Vanitas everywhere he went. Unable to piece together the strange puzzle he’d woken up in. But by the furious look Vanitas was shooting him, he could guess the situation was direr than he’d previously thought.

“You are dead,” Vanitas said. A chill ran down the spine of Sora. The certainty with which Vanitas said it had his breath hitching. Serious eyes gleamed as if entertained by Sora’s fear. “No hyperbole. And if you want to get back to the land of the living, you better help me win this game.” 

“Are you sure?” Sora asked, his mind trying to process what Vanitas just said to him. “Why didn’t I-!?”

“Your entry fee,” Vanitas said. Sora perked up, desperate to find even a glimpse of an explanation. “To play the game, you had to give up something. The one thing you value the most.”

“The one thing I value the most…” Sora wondered. A flash of red crossed his memories. A smile as open as the sea, followed by a pair of eyes that reminded him of Destiny Islands. Realization hit him, bringing forth memories he’d thought forgotten. “Kairi!”

“Kairi?” Vanitas asked.

“Kairi is my important person,” Sora replied. The strange hole inside his heart seemed to widen as he recalled her face. It was so blurry and distant he could barely grasp the ends of it. “T-They took her?”

“Maybe,” Vanitas sad with a shrug. “If she’s so important, it wouldn’t be a surprise you suppressed your memories when you entered the game. It can…be traumatic.”

Sora saw the flash of hurt inside Vanitas eyes. This was his second time playing the game. Did that mean they took what Vanitas valued the most twice? Sora didn’t believe someone could be so cruel.

“How do I get her back?” Sora asked.

“Are you an idiot?” Vanitas replied with an exasperated sigh. “Duh! By winning!”

“Winning?”

“If we win this thing, then we can live again and they return our entry fees,” Vanitas explained. “And I hope you want to win because now we’re partners! If you die, I die.”

The thought didn’t serve to ease the anxiety building up inside Sora. To know that now he had Vanitas’ life inside his too. It was petrifying to know that one wrong move could cause him, not only to lose Kairi but Vanitas too.

Seemingly sensing his distress, Vanitas tossed a Pin in Sora’s way. Sora had to focus so as to not drop it. But once he had it in his hands, he realized it was a shiny yellow pin. It had three circles, one big and two small ones on top of it. If he squinted, it loosely resembled a mouse.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a Pin,” Vanitas said. “This one’s special. It allows you to summon something called a Keyblade. You use a sword, right? Might help.”

“You don’t need it?” Sora asked.

Vanitas frowned. The bitter expression he’d seen on him that very first time they met, returned. That expression that made it look like Vanitas despised the mere fact that he existed.

“I had two,” was all he said. “’ Sides, I can’t have you dying before I win this.”

Sora held on tight to the Pin. He used it, just to check it out. But when he tried, nothing happened. He tried again. 

“Huh, that’s weird,” Vanitas said with a frown. “Not everyone can use it?”

“Seems like it…” Sora said. It didn’t sit well on him that he couldn’t use the Pin. From what Vanitas’ reaction, it seemed like it was the easiest Pin to use. And somehow, he even managed to mess _that_ up. He quickly pushed those thoughts down and forced out a smile. “Thanks anyway! I’ll hang on to it. Maybe I’ll manage with practice?”

“Let’s hope you do,” Vanitas said with a clear frown in his face. “Else we’re fucked.”

* * *

Day 2

* * *

Sora woke up at the Scramble Crossing once more on the second day. Vanitas was already up, sitting on one of the fences while he looked over at his phone. Sora didn’t wait and walked over to him, propping his head over Vanitas shoulder to see what he was doing.

“Don’t touch me,” Vanitas growled, shoving Sora away.

“What are you looking at?” Sora asked.

“Nothing, get away,” Vanitas replied, turning off his phone.

“Is the photo of someone you know?” Sora asked.

“No,” he replied. It would have been easy to dismiss it as Vanitas lying, but Sora saw the glint in his eyes. He was telling the truth. “Now, move.”

Sora did as he was told, taking three steps back. Just as he did, his hand began hurting again. The timer was back, which meant a new mission. Sora took out his phone and messily clicked through the icons to find the message.

“Erase all the Noise at the Station Underpass. You have an hour.”

“Should be easy enough,” Vanitas said, after reading the message.

Sora wasn’t so sure. Unlike Vanitas, he wasn’t strong enough to use more than a couple of Pins. And even those he could use weren’t exactly powerful. But there was no other way. They had to erase the Noise, no matter what.

Just as they were about to reach the Station Underpass, a loud scream made Sora flinch. It was coming from the other side of the street.

“We have to help them!” Sora said.

“What? No! The missions have time-limit, you idiot!”

Sora didn’t listen. There was someone who needed help, so his body moved on autopilot. Running towards the person who had screamed, he used his Pin. A wooden sword appeared in his hands and he began fighting off the Noise. Honestly, if he’d been all alone, he would have lost.

It was good that Vanitas jumped in last minute to help him fend off the tougher Noise.

“Are you brain dead!?” Vanitas screamed at the top of his lung as soon as they were free. “If you die, I die! You can’t just run off like that!”

“Sorry,” Sor said, guilt burning lowly on his chest. “But I couldn’t just leave someone!”

“You should!”

“Uhm,” a voice called from his side. Sora turned around, ready to introduce himself, but the words got caught up in his throat. “Thank you for saving me!”

“Kairi,” Sora breathed, looking straight unto her. ”Kairi!”

“Ah…We know each other?” she asked with a gentle tilt of her head.

“Yes! You’re from Destiny Islands! From my home!” he said hurriedly. “I thought you-!”

“Sorry,” she said, fidgeting in her place. “I don’t remember.”

“What?” Sora asked, perplexed.

Here she was. Kairi. Standing pretty and sweet before him, without a single scratch on her. An almost-perfect illusion of the same girl he knew from Destiny Islands, yet she couldn’t remember him.

“I don’t remember more than my name,” she said again. “I don’t know where I came from, or who I am.”

That made something inside Sora click.

“Of course! Like when you came to the Islands!” he said. “You lost your memories and the sea spit you out!”

That didn’t seem to help her out.

“I’m sorry, I really don’t know,” she replied.

“That doesn’t matter!” Sora said with a bright smile. “You’re fine! You’re safe! I thought I’d lost you!”

“Kairi?” another voice reached them. “What happened?!”

Sora turned towards the voice, startled by the sound. He watched a boy, probably a couple years older than him, walking down towards Kairi. Just from the way he carried himself, Sora could see he wasn’t here to play around. It was almost scary how serious he looked. 

“Noise attacked me,” Kairi explained. “I was going to fight, but you told me-”

“It’s alright, I shouldn’t have left,” the other person replied. “Next time, stick with me.”

“I will, Riku,” she said.

Sora was surprised at how gentle Kairi’s voice turned at the boy. He didn’t remember Kairi being this…soft. She had been the toughest girl in the Islands, never afraid of getting a bit rowdy. It was so weird to see her like this. For a moment, he wondered if she liked Riku.

The thought alone sat uncomfortably in his chest.

He chose to glare softly at the boy, hoping it would ease this feeling. It didn’t.

Teal eyes stared straight into him, robbing him immediately of all air in his lungs. A blush crept up his cheeks, which made him feel like he was ten again. Having his first crush on someone, flustered just by their presence.

Which was weird. Wasn’t he in love with Kairi?

“Who are you?”  
“Who are you?”

The question was asked at the same time. The pair flinched, seemingly taken aback by the words. Sora, in particular, since the voice startled him. He seemed so…confused. And lost. Not much unlike how Sora himself felt.

“They helped me,” Kairi intervened, probably sensing the strange tension between the two. “I don’t know their names but-”

“I’m Sora,” he said quickly. “And this is my partner Vanitas!”

“I’m Kairi,” she said with a gentle smile. “Although I think you already knew that…And this is Riku! He’s my partner.”

“What a partner,” Vanitas said, rolling his eyes. “Leaving his other half alone to die.”

Riku got visibly pissed off. For a moment, Sora was scared they’d start fighting right there and then. That’d be a mess. Vanitas’ attacks tended to create shockwaves of destruction with a simply wield of his Keyblade. And while during a fight it was welcomed, since it erased more Noise, against an actual human that was the last thing they needed.

Thankfully, they both held back and simply glared at each other. Kairi, once again, decided to intervene.

“Riku didn’t leave me alone! He left to get rid of the Noise up ahead, so I wouldn’t have to fight it,” she explained.

“That’s stupid!” Vanitas said, with wide eyes. “You can’t fight noise without a partner!”

“You can,” Riku replied. There was an obvious tint of contempt directed at Vanitas. “If you’re good.”

“ _No_ , you’re tanking damage,” Vanitas all but snarled. “You’re gonna get killed, and the little princess here will too.”

“Kairi doesn’t have pins,” Riku clarified with the roll of his eyes. Sora was getting exponentially more uneased. Riku was scary when he was angry. Without meaning to, Sora clung to Kairi’s side. In the past, Kairi would make fun of him for being a scaredy-cat. Now, for some reason, she just patted his head without saying a thing. “I have to get them for her.”

Sora turned to Kairi, worry washing over him. A thought crossed his mind, and he reached to his pocket, where the rest of his Pins were.

“You’re insane,” Vanitas said, exasperated.

“Maybe you can use this one!” Sora exclaimed.

He showed off all Pins he had. They weren’t much, five tops, and he only could use three. One to heal, his sword Pin and a random one that created thunder but he wasn’t sure how to use yet. He reached for the one Vanitas had given him and placed it on Kairi’s hand.

“A Lucky Emblem Pin?” Riku asked with a raised eyebrow. “Why give it to us?”

“I can’t…exactly use it,” Sora explained. It was shameful to admit it. But it would have been a bigger waste to cling on to it when there was nothing for him to gain from it.

“You can’t even use a Lucky Emblem Pin?” Riku said with scepticism. Sora nodded, very slowly. The look that Riku was giving him put him on the edge. It felt so weird to be stared at with such malicious intent. Even Vanitas usually ignored him. 

“Thank you, Sora,” Kairi said with a soft smile on her face.

“No worries,” he said back. The sight of Kairi’s smile never failed to make him feel better.

She tested it out. Just like when Vanitas had taught him how to use the Pin, Sora watched a Keyblade appear in her hands. It was covered in flowers, golden on the rim. It was prettier than Vanitas, without a doubt. He guessed it was different for each person that used the Pin.

“Are we done yet?!” Vanitas screamed by Sora’s side. “We have to complete the mission!”

“Oh, right! Let’s go!” Sora said. “Are you guys coming?”

“No,” Riku said, turning around. “Come on, Kairi.”

“Ah! Yes!”

They walked away. Their frames getting smaller and smaller by the minute, causing Sora’s heart to ache. He’d thought the pair would help defeat the mission with him and Vanitas.

But even if they didn’t want to, he had to go. He had to help Vanitas, no matter how little he often helped to the fights.

It really was good that Vanitas was good at this. They managed to defeat the Noise, just barely in time. Panting and sweating, they both dropped to the ground of the Station Underpass, barely holding themselves together.

A couple of seconds had passed, when Vanitas spoke. That was weird. Sora had grown used to being the one to ask stuff and initiate conversations.

“Why…did you give the Pin to her?” he asked.

To Sora, the answer was obvious.

“Well, there’s no point if Kairi can’t win,” Sora said. “She’s what I value the most, after all!”

“I doubt it,” Vanitas replied. His scowl deepened. “She’s here. If she were your entry fee, she wouldn’t be _safe_.”

“Maybe it’s the good luck charm she gave me?” Sora asked to himself. “That’s important to me too.”

“A good luck charm? Are you kidding?” Vanitas asked, anger clear in his voice. Sora didn’t get why he was so upset. “How can you compare that to what all of us are suffering?!”

“It’s important though!” Sora was quick to defend. In his mind, an image flashed. It wasn’t of Kairi, but of the good luck charm. Instinctively, he knew it was important. So much it hurt.

“Important enough to risk your life?!” Vanitas yelled. Sora flinched. “That if it disappeared, you’d want to die all over again!?”

“Well, I promised to give it back to her…”

“She’s not your entry fee!” Vanitas shouted. Sora felt a pang of worry in him, as he watched Vanitas grow more and more desperate. “Because **_my_** entry fee isn’t here!”

“Your entry fee…?” Sora asked.

“He’s not playing the game,” Vanitas continued. “If she’s really your entry fee, then why are you able to see her? Why can’t _I_ see him, then? It’s not fair. It’s never been fair!”

There was both pain and anger in Vanitas’ words. Sora could tell as much this was affecting him. But there was not much he could do in his current situation. He did the only thing that seemed right in that instant.

He reached out to hold Vanitas’ hand. Sora thought Vanitas would slap it away. Instead, Vanitas returned the touch, softly curling his hand around Sora’s.

“You’ll see him again,” Sora said, determination burning bright inside his chest. “I promise, Vanitas. We’ll make it out of here, and you’ll see him again.”

“Why was he my entry fee?” Vanitas asked, vaguely staring into the roof. “I loved him…but all the pain I have inside of me is because of him.”

“We hurt because we love,” Sora replied. He gave Vanitas’ hand a tight squeeze. The sleepiness was overtaking him. It was proof that the day was ending. “I’m sure he cares for you, as much as you care for him.”

“He doesn’t,” Vanitas answered.

Sora wanted to tell him otherwise. Explain to him that, if you cared for someone that much, your feelings were bound to reach them. But before he could even open his mouth, darkness began to fill his vision. The day was over.

* * *

Day 3

* * *

The next day, Sora woke up by the Scramble Crossing once more. Vanitas was by his side, still not awake. When he was still sleeping, Vanitas didn’t seem so scary. Sora could even describe him as a child, not much older than him. Without the creases from his constant frowning or the bags underneath his eyes being accentuated by his eyes, Vanitas almost seemed peaceful.

But even after he woke up, Sora found that he no longer insulted and shouted first thing. The frown was still there, but he seemed more relaxed. He was glad. If something were to come out of this game, he wanted it to be that Vanitas didn’t feel as lonely as before it started.

The pain in his hand returned. He checked his phone.

“Save the starry sky at the double channelled river. You have an hour.”

“Starry Sky?” Sora asked.

“Stupid riddles,” Vanitas groaned. “What could the starry sky even mean?!” 

Sora groaned too. This time they were really in trouble. He had never been particularly smart, and Vanitas’ seemed to be much better for fighting than thinking.

In fact, it seemed that trying to think about it, only got him more angry and violent. Sora sighed. In times like this, usually, he could count on-…

Huh? Who could he count on?

He couldn’t remember.

He shook his head, focusing his eyes on the message instead.

“River, river…” he repeated over and over in a low mutter. “…river, river, kura…Wait! Kurakura!”

“What?” Vanitas asked.

“Double channelled river. Kurakura! The store!” he said again. “Something must be there!”

Vanitas didn’t seem convinced. But seeing as he had no other clue of where to go, he sighed and followed Sora. Once they were there, Sora was surprised to find a poster hanging outside. It was for a competition on Tin Pin. The price, a Pin. It had the design of a starry night painted over.

“I’ll be damned,” Vanitas said, giving him a mildly amused look. “You were right.”

Before Sora could say anything else, he heard a familiar voice shouting over the voices of the other pedestrians.

“No! We did what you said yesterday! You said we’ll get erased if we don’t do the missions!”

The voice was unmistakably Kairi’s. It hadn’t sounded so angry and strong yesterday. He was glad his friend was slowly coming back.

“I don’t care about the missions,” Riku said back. “I’m not here to play.”

“This is not fair!” Kairi yelled even louder. Her entire face was going as red as her hair. “Just because you don’t care, doesn’t mean I have to die!”

“You won’t die,” Riku replied. “As long as a player completes the mission, we’ll be fine.”

“What if no one completes mission?!” Kairi asked, growing desperate. “I don’t get you! I wish I could break this pact!”

“If you do, you _will_ die,” Riku said.

“You don’t care about me, do you?” Kairi said. Her expression turned sour, eyes dropping to the ground while her fist clenched to her side. “When you said you recognized me, I thought you were my friend…But you don’t care about what happens to me, do you?”

Riku didn’t answer, didn’t even bother to look back at Kairi. They stayed there, silent in each other’s eyes. Both too scared to even meet eyes.

Sora couldn’t stand by and let them stay mad at each other.

“Guys!” he called, forcing out his biggest smile. They both turned his way. Kairi’s eyes shimmered with recognition, but Riku diverted his eyes as soon as they landed on Sora. “Are you here for the mission?”

“The mission?” Kairi asked, tilting her head to the side. “Here?”

“Kurakura,” Vanitas said, pointing at the poster. “And the starry sky.”

Kairi blinked. Then gasped, turning with fury towards Riku.

“I told you the mission wasn’t in that dumb “river” at the Underpass!” Kairi shouted. Sora smiled, this time a bit more genuine. He liked to see that Kairi was as lively as ever. “This has nothing to do with your friend!”

Riku didn’t reply, yet again. Instead, his eyes focused on the poster. For a second there, Sora thought he saw a genuine and deep sorrow inside green eyes. Like all hope in Riku’s soul had evaporated in an instant.

He wanted to reach out and reassure him it was _okay_. That they’d get whatever he was searching for. But it didn’t feel right to breach past something that was so personal.

Kairi also seemed to notice it. She didn’t say anything, but she visibly quietened. It was a habit she always had. When people around her got upset and she didn’t know how to fix it, she’d grow silent. Often times, offering a smile that would reassure those around her. Never imposing on others, acting like a perfect doll in the corner. It was the sight Sora hated the most.

“Are you guys…going to participate too?” Sora asked, hesitantly.

Kairi was quiet still, almost as if she were scared of saying something wrong. It bothered Sora to see her so timid. That could only mean that she was really lost, feeling like she was nothing more than a burden for others to carry.

Before Sora could say anything else, though, Riku spoke.

“Sure,” he said. Kairi perked up, staring with wide eyes at her partner. “Why not?”

Sora’s mood instantly lifted, as did Kairi’s. Her cheeky smile returned and used her free hand to tug at Riku. There was no resistance in Riku’s side as he allowed Kairi to drag him to the store.

Sora was kinda good at the Tin Pin game and managed to pull through half of it, before getting defeated. Vanitas lost on his very first try.

Kairi and Riku got farther up ahead. It wasn’t really a surprise that Riku won. After all, the guy seemed to know what he was doing. In everything he did, really. Sora couldn’t stop his admiration for him grow ever so slowly, the more he saw him succeed at everything.

Just as he did, all their timers disappeared.

“What is it even for?” Vanitas asked, taking a close look to the bizarre Pin Riku was holding.

“It must be pretty good if it took all that trouble to get,” Kairi said.

Riku didn’t wait a second to use it. From the pin, a beam of light came out. It was pink, connecting Kairi and Riku. After a while, Kairi’s Keyblade appeared in his hand.

“Hey!” she exclaimed.

“I think it borrows other’s powers,” Riku explained. “It’s called One Sky”.

“Seems pretty useless,” Vanitas said.

“But he can take other people’s powers Vanitas!” Sora said.

“Only Princess’ it appears,” Vanitas pointed out. “And her powers are lame.”

“That’s rude!” Kairi said.

“Don’t take it to heart, Princess,” Vanitas said, dismissively. Sora dearly hoped Kairi took the advice. Vanitas didn’t mean half what he said. “I’m just saying the truth.”

“The data says it helps borrow the powers to those who are connected to you,” Riku said, reading from his phone. He frowned. “Living or dead?”

“Well, we’re neither, so,” Vanitas shrugged.

“Do you think-” Kairi spoke slowly. “-It will help you find…her?”

Sora’s interest peaked again. Her? Was Riku searching for someone?

“It’s worth a try,” he replied.

Riku held the Pin like his life depended on it. He wanted to ask, who exactly was this person Riku was searching for? Why did he not care about the game? Did it have to do with this person?

But he didn’t dare ask.

“I hope you find her,” Sora said, startling everyone present. Even himself.

Riku’s eyes widened. Seemingly confused by the words. But after a small second, they softened. A sincere smile spread through his face, filling Sora with a strange sensation of familiarity that reached deep within his heart.

“Thanks, Sora.”

Sora pretended it didn’t ache to hear those words once more.

Kairi and Riku left, leaving Vanitas and Sora behind. They both sat outside the store, eating the junk food they’d been able to buy from the nearby store.

“I wonder what my entry fee was,” Sora asked to himself.

No matter how much he tried to dig through his memories, nothing particular came out. His life in the Islands had been normal. He and Kairi going to school every day, playing in the beach and sharing secrets by the sunset. 

“Wasn’t it Kairi?” Vanitas asked.

Sora thought for a moment. Yeah, it was true. In her memories, the one thing he cared about the most was Kairi. There was nothing that shone more than her. But… His eyes turned to Vanitas, who yesterday had cried for this person. The one who had been his entry fee. It seemed like his special person and he had a stronger bond than Kairi and his.

And besides. If he still couldn’t remember everything. Gaps in his mind lingered, growing the more he tried to pierce them together. And the most recent years of his life were, for some reason, almost completely gone. Only the vague memories of going to school with Kairi, and the afternoon they spent after it on their Islands. He doubted they were all that important if he managed to forget them, but still. Maybe something hid away in them. 

Which led the real question float in his mind:

What had been his entry fee?

And if it really was so important, why did he forget it?

“Sora?” Vanitas asked. There was a hint of worry in Vanitas’ furrowed eyebrows.

“I don’t know,” he replied. To what, he wasn’t even sure. All he knew was that uncertainty was eating away at him. “I really don’t know.”

* * *

Day 4

* * *

It was the fourth day, and Sora just couldn’t wait for the week to finish. Despite his excitement to get everything to end, Vanitas seemed to grow more and more anxious as they waited out the mission.

“The real game is about to start,” Vanitas said. “By the fourth day, there are not many players still alive. And Reapers start getting more creative with his mission and what they can and cannot do.”

That certainly didn’t make Sora ha more confidence in what was going to happen next.

Regardless, he tried to stay upbeat. The mission came soon after, and it was thankfully short.

“Get to Miyashita Park. You have 10 min.”

“Wait, isn’t that…” Vanitas stared at his hand. “Shit! Run!”

Sora did as he was told quickly. Only after they started running, did he realize what Vanitas meant. The park was on the other side of Shibuya. They had to get there fast and run as fast as they could. Again, they just barely managed to get there.

“Fuck you, we made it!” Vanitas shouted and then promptly collapsed. They had a minute left, but as soon as they set foot in the park, the timer disappeared.

Sora was glad it was finally over. This meant they had finished the day’s mission. But it had been surprisingly quickly, hadn’t it?

“Lame! I thought they weren’t going to make it!” a girl’s voice called. “I was so hoping I could watch them cry like _babies_.”

“In your dreams, old hag,” Vanitas wheezed out.

“Hah!? What did you call me!?” the girl with blonde hair stepped out of the shadows.

“Kids these days are so disrespectful,” another voice joined in. “One would hope that after three times doing this, you’d learn some manners, Vanitas.”

The way the guy called his name had Sora’s heart grow in unease. There was a strange familiarity, interlaced with resentment.

“I thought you’d leave me the fuck alone,” Vanitas said with a low growl. Sora couldn’t help but hide behind Vanitas. “Marluxia. Larxene.”

“Vanitas?” Sora called from behind him. Despite how much his partner was acting aggressive, he still moved his hand up to shield Sora from the Reapers. “You know them?”

“Reapers,” Vanitas explained. “They were players who became Reapers after the first game I was here on. We were…Co-workers, if you will.”

“Co-workers?”

“Before the game,” he explained.

“Wait, you mean the pipsqueak doesn’t remember us? Again?” Larxene asked, clear disgust in her features. “Ugh, lame.”

This time, even Vanitas seemed confused.

“You know Sora?” he asked.

“You’re joking, right?” Larxene asked. 

Sora gripped Vanitas’ shoulder, feeling the unease creep up his chest. Vanitas was agitated, glaring at Larxene as if he could burn holes into her skull. Neither was able to reply anything to her, which only made her grow more and more unhinged.

“This is stupid!” she screamed. In her hands, daggers danced freely, ready to be thrown. Vanitas moved so his entire body was shielding Sora’s and his right hand reached for his Pins. “Why don’t I just erase you now, so I can save myself the headache?”

“Larxene,” Marluxia called. “You can’t attack players until the last day.”

“Of course I know that. I was only joking,” Larxene replied with a huff. Sora had the feeling she wasn’t and had the pink-haired guy not called her, they’d be in serious trouble.

“Although I must say, I’m impressed,” Marluxia continued. His eyes travelled towards Vanitas. “They say a player rarely manages to survive long enough to play a second time. Yet, here lies the outliers.”

“What? Jealous?” Vanitas said, flashing a shit-eating grin towards the Reapers.

“Hardly,” Larxene said. Her sneer was evident in the way she looked down on the pair. “Play this stupid game for all eternity? No thanks.”

“So, you’d rather just go back to your old job?” Vanitas asked. He chuckled. “Following a nameless master and then die?”

“We’re all dead, dumbass,” Larxene snarled. “And I don’t follow orders if I don’t feel like it.” 

“ _That_ I can believe,” Vanitas replied, stealing a quick glance towards Marluxia. This only managed to make Larxene even more furious.

“You seem to have fun poking at other people’s scabs, Vanitas,” Marluxia continued. “But if I remember correctly, you were never quite as eager to let others pick yours.”

Vanitas tensed. Sora grew worried, feeling the tension grow between them. He wanted to help, but he didn’t have any powers, nor he knew who these people were.

“What are you trying to say, Pinky?” Vanitas asked, hands itching to grab his own Pins. To fight these people, almost on instinct. But he knew better than that. If he did so, he’d be erased. And that’d also mean-…

“I hope Ventus is doing well,” Marluxia spoke.

Sora immediately felt the air around Vanitas shift. Worriedly, he tried to grab at his partner’s hand, but the effort fell flat. Vanitas moved forward, leaving Sora defenceless in the situation.

“What do you know?” he asked, eyes burning as he got nearer.

“What do I know? Did you forget we’re Reapers now?” Marluxia asked, eyes gleaming with delight. His face remained as impassive as ever, which caused Sora’s unease to grow. “What I know might be of much more value to you, than ever before.”

“Fancy words,” Vanitas said. He was pissed. In a level that Sora hadn’t seen before. “But it doesn’t answer _shit_. What do you know about Ventus?!”

“Where he’s currently being held in, for starters,” Larxene said. A delightful laugh followed her words. “We could always make a trade if you wish.”

“What?” Vanitas asked.

“They Keyblade boy,” Marluxia said. “For your friend.”

“Ventus _isn’t_ my friend,” Vanitas quickly corrected. “And what do you mean _keyblade boy_?”

“Ugh, right, they don’t remember,” Larxene groaned.

Marluxia cleared his throat, eyes landing on Sora in an instant.

“If you hand us Sora,” Marluxia explained, extending his hand towards Vanitas. “We’ll tell you where Ventus is.”

Vanitas turned around; eyes locked with Sora’s.

For how long had he been wanting to hear of something like this? To get a glimpse, a simple look into where Ventus could be. An easy way out of this mess, out of this stupid game. Right now, it could be so easy,

Just move away, and let the Reapers take care of the rest.

Blue eyes stared back at him. Filled with fear and worry, too close to tears for Vanitas own comfort. Yet, even though the mist of uncertainty, a single shimmer remained reflected on them. Trust. Absolute and complete trust.

“I’ve had one too many deals with Reapers,” Vanitas replied. “And one thing I know is that they always play dirty.”

Larxene rolled her eyes, clearly upset by his words. Marluxia, on the other hand, seemed amused by what he just said.

“We’re not enemies, Vanitas,” he said with a smile.

“You’re trying to erase us,” he replied. “I don’t trust you! Now, piss off before I decide to kill you two again!”

“As if you could,” Larxene said with disdain. Then, her eyes shifted towards Sora. “He on the other hand…”

“Let’s go, Larxene,” Marluxia said. He turned towards the pair of Players. “And may we meet yet again.”

“I’d rather die,” Vanitas said. He flipped the Reapers off, right as they left in a faint of shadows. “Ugh, those two were always the most annoying ones.”

“Vanitas?” Sora asked. “Who were they?”

“You could say we worked together?” Vanitas said. He seemed unsure of the answer. “It was a long time ago.”

“They talked about someone named ‘Ventus’…Is he-?”

Vanitas stayed silent, but the way his eyes looked down towards the ground was all answer Sora truly needed. Ventus was Vanitas’ entry fee. What he valued the most.

“How was he?”

“What?”

“Ventus,” Sora said, biting his lip. “Was he kind? Were you friends?”

“…He was a prick,” Vanitas replied. Sora blinked in confusion. Despite what he said, Vanitas’ expression wasn’t hard or filled with disgust like it had been when he talked to Marluxia and Larxene. It was almost soft. “Kind and loving to everyone but me. We weren’t really friends. He is…my other half.”

“Other half?” Sora asked. “Like soulmates?”

“That’d mean our souls are connected,” Vanitas said. “Our souls were one. Then we got separated. For the longest time I wanted to be with him again, so we could be complete.”

Sora heard the way Vanitas’ voice trembled as he spoke. In those moments, his partner was vulnerable, fragile. It was easy to forget that Vanitas could feel this way. After all, he was always biting and scratching, fighting with everything he had like he wasn’t afraid of any consequences.

But he was hurting. Just like anyone else would.

Sora reached out to interlink their hands. An effort to show his partner that he was there. That he wouldn’t leave. That, at least, in this very moment, he wasn’t alone.

“But by the time I tried to do it, he’d grown a soul of his own,” he confessed. Sora watched a single tear roll down Vanitas’ face, dripping unto the cold asphalt underneath them. “He was complete. He didn’t need me. But I was still the half of _something_. How do you become the other half, of something that no longer exists?”

Sora felt his own heart ache.

“You don’t need him,” Sora said. “I know it _feels_ like you do. But if you expand your world outside of him, you’ll find so many beautiful things that can fill the hole up, you know?”

“What if I don’t want something else?” Vanitas replied, biting his lip. “What if I only want him?”

“How can you be so sure that you _only_ want him?” Sora asked. The words made Vanitas hesitate. “If you see all the things that you can have, and you still want him, then that’s okay! But can you really be sure that’s everything you want when you haven’t even seen stuff like…a sunset with your friends? Or breakfast where there’s only ice-cream?”

“What does that have to do with any of this?” Vanitas asked.

“It means, maybe there’s a world outside Ventus,” Sora answered. “Lots of things that are better than chasing after someone all your life. Silly things, like watching a meteor shower, enjoying a day at the beach, or a nice nap where you dream of multi-coloured pets!”

Vanitas listened carefully. They _were_ silly things, but they sounded nice. Things that Vanitas could see himself enjoying.

“Could I fill this hole with that?” Vanitas asked.

“You can fill it with every little experience you have,” Sora assured him. “I promise.”

Vanitas hummed.

Sora had held on to Vanitas’ hands many times before. Many out of desperation, and worry. Vanitas had never opposed to it, but it left Sora wondering if Vanitas liked it, or he was simply too tired to refuse it.

But as Vanitas slowly closed his hand over his, a small part of Sora felt relieved. Perhaps they weren’t the perfect partners to each other. Sora couldn’t fight, and Vanitas often lashed out before thinking things through. Yet, he was sure there was a reason why the game had brought them together. Why, despite how desperate the other had been to win, he still chose Sora. Someone who, even on a surface level, wasn’t strong or good at fighting.

Whatever that reason was, Sora thanked in deep inside his heart. More than anything, he was glad to find a friend in the bizarre situation they were in. And Vanitas, no matter what this Ventus person would think, was a very good friend.

* * *

_Day 5_

* * *

Sora was woken up very abruptly in the fifth day. It was Vanitas, who shook him on the ground, desperately trying to call him. Just after a few seconds of registering what was going on, did Sora realize what happened. They were being attacked. The Noise got particularly tough, making it near impossible for Sora to keep up. Just as the rest of Noise closed in, a distant voice called them.

“Sora!” it was Kairi.

She and her partner wiped the floor with the Noise, seemingly with complete ease. Sora’s eyes focused on their attacks. Kairi was no longer using the Lucky Emblem Pin, nor the strange Keyblade it produced. Instead, she was using Pins that helped boost her physical attacks. Thanks to the fact she was quick and small, the damage she induced was high. In fact, the only other Keyblade that was in his vision was Vanitas’ and Riku’s. Vanitas was too tired to use his own, while Riku used his with grace the was otherworldly.

“You two keep getting in trouble, it seems!” Kairi exclaimed excitedly, once the Noise was gone.

“We didn’t need your help, Princess” Vanitas replied, putting away his Keyblade.

“Oh, I knew. It _really_ seemed like you had everything under control,” she replied with bright sarcasm. Sora couldn’t help but smile at the familiar tone he’d heard Kairi use so many times back in Destiny Islands. “You alright, Sora?”

Sora nodded, taking Kairi’s hand to get up after falling on his butt. Stealing a glance to his side, Sora saw Riku’s Keyblade. It was different from Vanitas’ or Kairi’s, which confirmed Sora’s theory that each one summoned was different for every person. The Keyblade had the shape of a normal key, with a yellow handle at the base. It was strangely familiar in Sora’s eyes.

“You still haven’t learnt to use Pins?” Riku asked. The Keyblade vanished from his hands.

“I’m not that good with them,” Sora answered with a grimace.

“Are you stupid?” Riku asked. His eyes grew cold and reprimanding at Sora, who could only shift away from the gaze. “You’ll die if you don’t know how to use them.”

Sora knew all too well that. If it hadn’t been for Vanitas being exceptionally good at Pins, Sora wouldn’t have been able to survive as long as he had. Yet, being told that same thing by someone he barely knew was…

“Don’t be a prick, Riku,” Kairi said, lightly punching his arm. “It’s alright, Sora. We all take our time figuring these out. I just barely understood how these work, to be honest.”

“Ah, that’s great, Kairi!” Sora exclaimed. “You learnt how to use the Lucky Emblem Pin?”

“Yeah, but it’s not my style,” she replied with a sheepish grin. “You can have it back.”

“Really? Thanks!”

“Kairi,” Riku called, turning away. “Let’s go.”

“Eh? Why? The mission hasn’t been given yet!”

“Exactly,” he said. “We need to use this time to search.”

He began walking away.

“Searching for what?” Sora asked in a whisper. Kairi used her mouth to cover her mouth from Riku’s sight.

“He’s searching for someone,” she replied. “Apparently someone he loves very much.”

“Was it his entry fee?”

“He wouldn’t say,” she replied. A small frown appeared in her features. “All I know is that he wants to find them more than anything.”

“Do you have a name? Maybe we could help you search!”

Kairi searched through her memories. Riku had said a lot of names underneath his breath as the time had gone on. From what she’d been able to piece together, even Riku wasn’t 100% sure of who this person was. But a name seemed to appear most often, echoing in her mind for it was what Riku had called her the first time they saw each other. That time he’d sworn to protect her and be her partner.

“I think she’s called Namine,” she said. “He decided to help me because I look like her.”

“Then we’ll search for her. then!” Sora said with a nod. “I’ll help you. I promise.”

Kairi smiled. A warm summer smile that reflected all the care she had. It was the same smile she would give him back on Destiny Islands when the sun would set by the ocean.

“You’re very kind, Sora,” she said. “I wish I could remember you.”

“It’s alright, I’m sure will,” he said. “Someday, at least.”

“Kairi!” Riku yelled from the other side of the street.

“Yeah, I heard you!” she yelled back. She gave one last wave at Sora before she left. “Take care.”

Sora waved at her, watching her go until she was nothing more than a dot in the crowd of Shibuya. Vanitas rolled his eyes.

“Your friend pisses me off,” he said.

Sora only chuckled at this, knowing that it was hard _not_ to piss Vanitas off. Instead, he looked down towards the Lucky Emblem Pin that Kairi returned to him. He tried to use it, with light hope still inside. It wasn’t too much a surprise when nothing happened.

“Why can’t I use them?” he asked.

“Different people can use different type of Psychs,” Vanitas explained. He reached for his pocket, where a couple of Pins remained. “I’m better at using Dark types, you just need to find which types you can use better.”

“What about this one?” Sora asked, pointing at the one on the corner right of Vanitas palm.

“That’s… a summoning Pin,” he said with a frown. He tucked away the rest and held that one in his hand. “Weird. I didn’t know I had this one.”

“What does it summon?” Sora asked.

“Beats me,” Vanitas said with a shrug. “Wanna try?”

Sora nodded quickly, and Vanitas tossed the Pin his way. He focused his energy as much as he could in the palm that he was holding the Pin in. There was a small spark of something, a bit of light that he could almost touch. But as soon as he tried to reach for it, it shattered.

Sora whined, handing back the Pin to Vanitas.

“This is useless…”

Vanitas, on the other hand, wasn’t so sure. For starters, he was far too certain that Sora could, in fact, use the Pin. Just that something was blocking the way for him to actually tap into his Psychs. But there was no way to know what it was. So, he took back the Pin, ready to

“Can you show me how it should work?” Sora asked.

Vanitas really didn’t want to do that. But if he wanted to find out what exactly was rigging the Pins, he would have to check it out.

“Ventus!” a voice called.

Vanitas’ eyes widened as he realized what the stupid thing had summoned.

“A dream eater!” Vanitas hissed, dropping the creature in his hands.

Sora was quick to reach for it and cradle the cat in his arms.

“A dream what?” Sora asked.

“Oh, no, what am I doing here with you?” the creature said.

Vanitas frowned at it.

“Do we know you?” Vanitas asked.

“My name is Chirithy! I’m Ventus’ Dream Eater!” it replied.

Sora didn’t make an effort to put Chirithy back, which only seemed to please the little cat-like creature even more. Vanitas sent it a glare. 

“And why exactly are you here?” he asked.

“Believe me, I’d rather not be here,” Chirithy replied. “But for better or worse, you are part of Ventus. I’m technically, also your Dream Eater.”

“Yeah right,” Vanitas huffed. “As if you’ve ever eaten my nightmares.”

“I’ve tried,” Chirithy replied. “But your Nightmare aren’t easy to deal. Much less when you encourage them.”

Vanitas growled at Chirithy, so Sora hugged it tighter against his chest.

“You know Ventus, then?” Sora asked.

“Yes! He’s my friend!” Chirithy said. “Do you know him too?”

“I’ve heard about him,” Sora said, stealing a small look towards Vanitas. “Do you know where he is?”

Vanitas perked up at that.

“I’m sorry,” Chirithy replied, dejectedly looking at the ground. “I’ve searched for him, but after he went out to find his friends, I lost all track of him.”

“Friends?” Vanitas asked with furrowed eyebrows. “Those two idiots? Terra and Aqua?”

“Ah, no. Those two are fine,” Chirithy said. “It’s someone else.”

“Who?”

Chirithy seemed eager to answer but paused as soon as they tried to speak. A frown soon followed, recollecting memories inside to try and pierce them together.

“How strange…I can’t seem to remember,” they replied.

“What do you mean you don’t remember?” Vanitas asked, looking sceptical at the little cat in Sora’s arms.

“I really can’t!” Chirithy said with a small jump. “But I’m sure I knew!”

Vanitas stayed quiet, while Sora tried to ease Chirithy’s worries. This all seemed fishy. The fact that big chunks of memories were lost within players of the game was normal. Perhaps the memories they held close was the reason why. But Chirithy wasn’t a player. Why then did they have these mental gaps neither could explain?

Did this have to do with Ventus being taken as his entry fee?

Had something happened before Vanitas entered for a second time in the game?

He wanted to ask Chirithy about it, but the time on the Pin had run out. The little cat disappeared from Sora’s arms. In that instant, Sora’s eyes started to water, no doubt thinking something had happened to his little furry friend.

“The summoning Pin ran out of energy,” Vanitas explained, flipping the Pin in his hands like it was a coin. “Once it recovers, we’ll summon your pet back.”

Sora dried up his tears with the back of his hand and nodded hesitantly. Just then, the familiar pain in their hand came flashing through. The mission was here.

It was simple enough again, defeat the Noise by the Hachiko statue.

Vanitas wondered what the deal was with such an easy mission so late in the game.

His answer came swiftly after in the form of another Reaper.

Vanitas instinctively reached for his Pins and shielded Sora from the person that appeared through the shadows. Sora seemed to want to fight, but there was no way in hell Vanitas was losing him right now.

“Wow, there! Don’t be aggressive!”

Vanitas narrowed his eyes, feeling the annoyance bubbling up quick. From all the people he had to deal with, this was easily the most annoying. Even when the buffoon could be dangerous if underestimated, Vanitas lowered his defences. Demyx was a lot of things, but one to senselessly pick fights, wasn’t one of them.

“What do you want, loser?” Vanitas asked.

“Not even a warm welcome, for an old friend?” Demyx asked with that stupid grin on his face. Vanita growled.

“We’re not friends,” he said. But Demyx ignored him. “Now get lost if you don’t want me to kick your ass.”

“As always, a charmer,” Demyx said. When he sensed that Vanitas was very much thinking about fighting him, he quickly turned serious. “Wait! Just hear me out. I have a deal for you.”

“A deal?” Vanitas asked.

“Yeah, an order from the higher-ups,” he replied, looking straight unto Sora. “Someone up there likes you, kid. They wouldn’t give this to just anyone.”

“Me?” Sora asked, tilting his head, obviously confused. Vanitas didn’t have much clearer of a vision.

Sora? Why him?

Demyx smiled, clearly pleased that he’d finally caught their attention.

“The rules are simple,” he said. “Beat me before the day ends, and I’ll give you back the entry fee for your first game.”

Vanitas blinked in confusion.

“First game?” he asked.

“But this _is_ my first game,” Sora said.

“Ah, I can’t say more,” Demyx said, taking a finger to his mouth.

“How do we know you’re saying the truth?” Vanitas asked.

It seemed like this was all prompt Demyx needed.

He reached for a pocket inside his new uniform. For a second, Vanitas saw the glint of silver and then heard Sora gasp.

“Give it back!” Sora screamed, starling Vanitas. He’d never seen the boy so unhinged. If it hadn’t been for Vanitas blocking the way, no doubt he would have lunged forward to rip it out of Demyx’s hand. “Give it!”

Seriously, was that the “good luck charm” Sora spoke on the first day really his entry fee?

Demyx didn’t reply, which only caused Sora to grow more and more distressed. He recognized the necklace. The familiar symbol of a crown glittering against the air. His memories were still empty, void of any real image to ground it to the feeling that was inside of him.

But the feeling was real. The need to get it inside his hand and never let it go only grew, no matter how much he tried to suppress it.

Since the first moment he knew about entry fees, he wondered. Was there anything he valued so much it hurt? Was there anything really, that would make him as desperate to win as Vanitas was to save Ventus?

The answer laid clear before him.

“We have a deal?” Demyx asked.

“What if we refuse?” Vanitas asked.

“You lose _any_ chance to get your entry fees back,” Demyx replied.

Something about the wording of that made Vanitas hesitate.

“I’m guessing that if we don’t beat you, we get erased,” Vanitas said.

“Smart as always.”

Vanitas was eager to take the offer up but knew better than to trust Reapers. Were it any other situation, he’d probably blow off the idiot.

But Sora was almost growling, ready to rip out anything on his path for a _necklace_.

This was his entry fee.

Vanitas didn’t have anything he cared for. Nothing he particularly valued. Ventus had been the closest thing to that he had and, even then, it wasn’t much. Truth be told, Vanitas never had anything he loved. Even his memories were something he’d rather get rid of - to avoid the pain and the misery they left.

Ventus was the only thing he ever wanted. And he desperately clung to it like a lost puppy.

But even that, only seemed to pale in the way Sora longingly stared at a piece of jewellery.

Without hesitating, Vanitas said.

“Deal.”

Sora’s eyes widened the slightest bit, turning to see Vanitas.

“Great! I’ll be waiting, then!” Demyx said with a wide grin.

After that, he vanished into shadows, taking with him Sora’s necklace.

“Are you sure?” Sora asked.

“I don’t get what’s going on,” Vanitas replied. “Who knows if we should trust this guy? But he’s the only one who’s given us even a hint of what’s going on. Let’s just follow the tracks and see where they lead.”

Sora nodded, now noticeably calmer. Vanitas eyed him with caution, before asking.

“Is it really that important to you?” he asked. “The necklace?”

Vanitas didn’t need a verbal answer to understand it was a solid yes. Not with the way Sora looked at his empty hands with a deep longing to hold it again. Sora was an open book. This perhaps mattered to him, more than his own life. 

“I don’t remember what it means,” he replied, squeezing his hands shut. “Before I saw it, I didn’t even realize it was missing…But now, I just-… _know_ it! It’s the most important thing I have.”

Vanitas didn’t understand why an object like that could be so special to Sora. Especially when the person in question couldn’t even remember it either. He was very tempted to call bullshit.

But Sora wasn’t one to lie.

“Let’s get your stupid bracelet back,” Vanitas said, trying to sound as dismissive as he could.

It didn’t work, at least not on Sora. The boy watched him with so much unbound gratitude, it was difficult for Vanitas to pretend his heart wasn’t beating slightly faster.

* * *

Clearing the Noise at the Hachiko Statue wasn’t the difficult part. With renewed interest in getting his entry fee back, Sora managed to juggle through as many Pins he could. Eventually, he landed on some that _weren’t_ extremely useless. Which was a help that Vanitas welcomed without complaints.

The difficult part was beating the stupid Demyx.

He wasn’t particularly strong back in the Organization, and with none of his little minions here to help him one would think he would be easier to beat.

But Vanitas had been even weaker than him _then_ , and he was defenceless _now_.

More than a hard-earned win, it felt more like they barely managed to walk out of the fight a scratch away from being erased. 

“Huh? I remember you two being way stronger than this,” Demyx commented. Vanitas wanted to argue that this was the first time he fought against _either_ of them. But he was too close to passing out to bother. “You sure you even want it?”

Demyx raised the necklace to the sky.

Vanitas was on the verge of passing out, yet Sora was in an even worse state. Barely even standing up, ready to drop dead if he didn’t heal on that instant. Vanitas thought that alone would be enough for Sora not to do stupid shit.

He should have known better.

Sora’s eyes quickly widened, and he lunged forward simply using his stupid sword Pin to fight the Reaper.

Cold dread ran down Vanitas’ body as he watched Sora throw himself at Demyx. His sword wasn’t powerful, and his Psychs were laughable. Not to mention, Vanitas wasn’t there to help him this time.

There was no way he would be able to land a scratch on Demyx, much less beat him.

“Give it back!” Sora cried.

And landed a solid hit on the Reaper.

It wasn’t much. Not enough to erase him, obviously, but it startled their enemy. Without losing footing or momentum, Sora started using the sword. It seemed like Sora was no longer using his actual head to attack, but pure _muscle memory_.

In any other case, it would have been a death wish. After all, you needed to actually think through your next action to win. But this was different. Sora’s body seemed so acutely tuned in to battle that he was stronger, simply letting it take control. It was so weird to see. They were moves of a pro, hidden in the body of a child that couldn’t even hold his weapon properly, and said weapon was so weak it could barely do any damage.

Vanitas suddenly realized maybe Sora wasn’t bad because he was weak. But because he was being held back. 

After a few seconds of sparring, Demyx stepped away.

“Yeah, that’s more like it,” he commented with a laugh. “Isn’t this what a hero is supposed to fight like?”

Sora didn’t answer, he was too focused on the necklace to even mutter a word.

“I guess I can keep my end of the bargain,” he said, showing the necklace off. “Your entry fees.”

With that, he tossed the chain upwards. Sora dropped everything and rushed to catch it.

Meanwhile, Vanitas felt a rush of emotions fill his almost-hollow heart. It hurt, breaching through what little there was. But once he opened his eyes, he was face to face with…

“The Unversed,” Vanitas muttered. They were his connection with Ventus. If they were here, that meant- “He’s free…”

“Yeah, but don’t think this is the only thing you losers lost,” Demyx said. “As I said, this is only your _first_ entry fee. And I’m only giving it back because the boss owed you one.”

That didn’t make sense. He doesn’t remember ever even _meeting_ said boss. But Vanitas was too relieved to say anything as he watched Demyx disappear in shadows once more.

Instead, he turned to see Sora.

The boy was kneeling by the side of the pavement, holding in his cradled hands the chain of the necklace he’d been so desperate to get a hold of. Big tears rolled down his cheeks, and the widest smile he’d ever seen floating in his mouth. 

“It’s back,” he said with a broken voice. “It’s back!”

Sora held it closer, shielding it from the world with his body. It almost touched his chest, right where his heart was. As if bringing it so close, could ease the ache from being unable to remember what it meant.

Vanitas didn’t understand that feeling. That utter feeling of overflowing happiness to have an important piece of you back. Even now, Ventus wasn’t exactly _part_ of him. He was what Vanitas treasure the most, simply because nothing else in his life could possibly matter.

He wondered if, one day, he could have something like this.

* * *

Day 6

* * *

Sora woke up on the sixth day, finally feeling like things would be okay. The weight of the crown-shaped necklace was comforting, setting his pulse at ease. It was strange how much happiness if brought him to have it back when he didn’t know what it meant.

The familiar sensation of fire in his palm burnt, signalling the beginning of the mission. He was about to reach for his phone when a strange pull stopped him.

He looked down towards his necklace, just to find a beam of light directly on it. The pull from deep inside his hear, reached towards most hidden parts -those he didn’t even know existed – and continued to tug him backwards.

Stuck in a trance, unable to understand what was going on, he stayed there. Just drowning in the feeling, almost soothing that it brought him. It wasn’t until a particularly hard tug, that Sora widened his eyes.

He heard Vanitas yell after him. But there was nothing in Sora’s mind. His body moved on its own, running through the streets of Shibuya, following that familiar light that crossed the sky. He needed to find where it led! His feet moved so fast all the passers-by blurred at the corner of his eyes. The sky seemed to stretch towards infinity the longer he ran, and no matter how much faster he tried to run, it all still felt like too slow.

From the other side of the road, he saw someone run towards him. Sora finally stopped, feeling the pull at his heart to grow even bigger as the distance closed. The person on the other side also slowed down, looking straight up ahead.

A lump built up in Sora’s throat as he watched the two people walk slowly towards him.

“Sora?”  
“Riku?”

They stared at each other for a dead second. Each transfixed on the other, trying to find little clues to explain the way their heart seemed to beat louder with the passing seconds.

Riku’s eyes travelled up and down from Sora, seemingly confused at the sight. They landed on his necklace, and whatever confusion there previously was only ten folded.

“Where did you get that?” he asked.

Sora looked at his necklace and bit his lip. How could he explain it? He didn’t know where it was from, who gave it to him, or what it even meant. The little beam of light that had been connecting them flickered in and out of existence until it disappeared.

“Where. Did you Get. That.” Riku asked again. His tone grew dark, as his face got shrouded in darkness. “Give it!”

Sora immediately took a step backwards, clutching the necklace as if his life depended on it. He shook his head as quickly as he could, looking ready to bolt away and hide behind Vanitas.

“You’re not touching it,” Vanitas growled at Riku, taking a step forward. “Now get lost!”

“Riku, let it go,” Kairi tried to say, but before she could touch Riku, the guy moved forward. “Riku!”

“That’s not yours!” Riku yelled.

His hands went to grab Sora by the shoulders, who could only curl up and protect his necklace with his hands. Vanitas sprinted forward, heart leaping when he saw his partner being attacked.

“It is!” Sora yelled back.

“It’s not!” Riku yelled, hands going to fight Sora’s. “You shouldn’t have it!”

Sora opened his mouth to yell again. Probably another childish retort that the necklace _definitely_ belonged to him, but before he could, he caught something with his eye. It was Noise, popping out from the asphalt. Sora let go of the necklace and pushed Riku away.

“Sora!”

He wasn’t sure who screamed those words. Maybe it was all three. They all knew how weak he was when it came to using Psychs. For a moment, Sora thought this really would be it. That he’d be erased in a quick second, with no real answer to everything that plagued his mind.

Riku’s figure appeared before his, wielding a different Keyblade from the one he’d seen before.

“Noise!” Riku screamed, which snapped everyone out of their trance.

Kairi and Vanitas ran towards the pair, using their Pins in an instant to start attacking.

Still, in a daze from almost dying, Sora reached blindly towards his Pins. He took one out and used it without much thought.

The familiar weight of a sword landed on his palms. But instead of the usual awkwardness of the wood, he was met with solid metal. Even if the weight was bigger, for the first time since playing the game, Sora felt he could fight.

He used the summoned weapon with ease he didn’t know he could carry, slashing enemies left and right in record time. He didn’t let his mind take control, relying simply on what felt like he should do.

“What the fuck!?” Vanitas said as soon as all the Noise was gone. “You could do that this whole time!?”

Sora looked at him puzzled, and then back to his hands.

“How can you use that?” Riku asked with a frown.

Sora didn’t want to answer. Riku had already accused him of stealing the necklace. Now that he was wielding the Keyblade he’d been using…

“Maybe it’s the one people with base power start with?” Kairi asked, trying to ease the mood. “Yours upgraded just yesterday didn’t it?”

Riku wasn’t sure if he’d call it an upgrade. Sure, the Keyblade he was using now was much more his style. Braveheart was bigger and sturdier, with more emphasis on physical attacks than magic. But in a way, he was sure that Kingdom Key wasn’t a base level Keybalde. It was extremely powerful, to the point it had taken on numerous Noise even when Riku had no experience wielding it.

Besides, he’d seen no one else use it. Aside of course, from Sora.

Against better judgement, Riku dropped it. He walked a few steps backwards, still eyeing the necklace Sora had. Just the sight of it was giving him a headache. This was…This was definitely the charm he’d given _that_ person. But no matter how much he tried to recall it, Sora’s face didn’t come up in his memories. A lot of people did. Roxas, Namine, Xion…they all popped up. The names were clear, yet none matched the name he wanted to call.

Why had Sora’s come so easily then? Why had his body reacted so quickly to protect him from the Noise?

He couldn’t understand it.

“Can we go back to the mission now?” Vanitas asked.

Sora fumbled with his phone, reaching to read it out loud. But just when he tried to, he realized his timer was gone. The mission message was also gone.

“Did someone complete it before us?” he asked to the air.

“Doubt anyone’s left,” Vanitas said. “It’s the sixth day, after all.”

“Just one more day left then, huh,” Kairi mused. “You think we’ll make it?”

Vanitas stayed quiet, seemingly lost in thought. Sora worried. It was strange for his partner to stay so quiet, so he couldn’t help thinking that something was wrong.

Meanwhile, Kairi scooted closer to Riku.

“I think we should stay near them,” she said. Riku frowned in answer, and Kairi let out a defeated sigh. It seemed like her friend wasn’t about to catch the hint without help. “This is the closest we’ve been to a clue! The week is almost over. If you wanna find this person, Sora is our best bet.”

“I thought you wanted to win the game,” Riku pointed out.

Kairi _had_ wanted that. Back when she woke up and had no idea why she had been forced to play. It was the only thing that made sense back then. Win the game, get your memories and life back. But now, nothing _made_ sense. The game, or why they were all here. The missing pieces that seemed to connect them, they must mean something, right?

“He knows me,” she replied, determination clear in her eyes. “And for some reason, he’s connected to you. What if the reason you saved me – the reason why you said I looked familiar – is because of him?”

“You think we were friends when we were alive?” Riku asked with a raised eyebrow, sceptical as always.

Kairi frowned.

“I think we knew each other,” she said.

“That’s ridiculous.”

“Do you have memories that say otherwise?” she asked. Her tone was accusing, and Riku immediately shrank at the sound. “Anything at all?”

Riku didn’t. There were no memories left inside of him, aside from faint glimpses of other people. Vague faces, names that felt fake even as he spoke them. Kairi was perhaps the clearest image he had, and even that wasn’t much. The only thing he currently knew was the single thought he’d woken up, on the first day of the game.

_He had to save his important person._

Whoever that is.

“Doesn’t mean we have to trust _them_ ,” Riku refuted.

“We spend the last six days doing what _you_ said,” Kairi said. “Searching around in pointless places you thought this person would be! We even risked being erased, so you could probably find them! This is the best clue we have!”

She was right, even if Riku didn’t want to admit it. A quick glance towards the pair was more than proof enough of it. Sora’s necklace, in particular.

Riku himself had no real memory of where or how it separated from him. He remembers it being his most prized possession, back when he was a kid. A necklace he’d sworn was the source of every superpower that, as a kid, he’d tricked himself into believing he had.

Yet, here it was.

He had the faintest idea that he’d given it to _someone_. And that someone was the clue to reach the person he was searching for.

“Alright,” he said. Kairi beamed instantly. “We’ll stick around with them.”

Kairi was the one left to do the talking. Riku had never been good at that. It was awkward to have her talk for him. She said things out of order, and in ways Riku thought made almost no sense, often placing little white lies in the things she said.

“Riku used One Sky?” Sora asked, blinking slowly. “That’s why you think we have something to do with Namine?”

It wasn’t _Namine_ , Riku wanted to argue. Although to say that it wasn’t her, would also be a lie. That didn’t seem to matter, though. At the mention of helping out, Sora was quick to accept.

Vanitas not so much but seemed too unwilling to fight Sora on this. The only thing he truly did was glare at Riku and say:

“Pull any funny business and you die.”

Riku guessed the overprotectiveness was guaranteed.

There was only one more day left. If they survived that, then they’d be free. But to Riku, it sounded more like a time-limit. He had to find this person before the seven days were over. Else, who knows what would happen.

* * *

Day 7

* * *

Sora woke up, with only Vanitas by his side. He thought that he’d wake up around Kairi and Riku, but he soon realized that’d be too good to be true. The two of them waited for the incoming message for the mission, but none came through.

That seemed to make Vanitas grow worried.

“Today Reapers can attack us,” he explained. “If we don’t have a mission, the game doesn’t end. We could be stuck here, and never get out until they all erase us.”

Sora wanted to hope that wasn’t the case.

A beep from their phones echoed. Vanitas was the first to reach for his, and Sora looked over his shoulder to see.

_“Come find me and get your prize. Signed, your friend.”_

“This doesn’t make sense,” Vanitas deadpanned.

“Do you think Riku could know?” Sora asked.

Vanitas raised an eyebrow, overtly confused.

“Why do you think that idiot could know?” Vanitas asked.

Sora blinked, finally realizing what he’d said. In all honesty, he wasn’t sure why he thought Riku could know. It just seemed like the right thing to do. Sora hid away his blush, unsure of what to say that would make it seem less weird in Vanitas eyes.

“Maybe we could ask Chirithy?” Sora said instead.

“Ugh, do we have to?” Vanitas said.

Sora was about to say they didn’t need to, but Vanitas was already reaching for his Pin pocket. He summoned Chirithy with no effort, and soon Sora had his arms full of Ventus’ Dream Eater.

“You’re back!” Sora beamed.

“You did it! Ventus is back!” Chirithy exclaimed, accepting the hug Sora offered.

“That’s good! Did he find his friend?” Sora asked.

“He says he’s not sure,” Chirithy said, dejected. “He lost complete track of them…But he’s glad at least Vanitas is fine.”

“He’s what?” Vanitas asked.

“He was really worried when you up and disappeared like that after the Keyblade Graveyard Fight!” Chirithy explained. “He wanted me to pass the message that you definitely have to come back!”

Sora smiled inwardly, as he watched the light flood Vanitas’ eyes. The words Chirithy said didn’t seem to matter too much to the Dream Eater, after all, it was only delaying the message, but they had a profound impact on Vanitas. Who, up to this point, seemed to believe that Ventus _didn’t_ care about him.

“Do you know anything about the Reaper’s Game, Chirithy?” Sora asked.

The Dream Eater sat there to think for a moment. After a while, they simply shook his head.

“Not much that could help you,” they said. “I know it’s a game to bring back people on the border of disappearing, much like Vanitas’ and Ventus’ friend, but other than that I’m not that sure.”

“Ventus’ friend is here?” Vanitas asked. “The one he’s searching for?”

“Ah, yes! At least, we think so,” Chirithy said. “He and some others were meant to travel here to find them, but Ventus got caught up just before they could go. Good thing, is you’re here. Bad thing, we still don’t know where Ventus’ friend could be.”

“Maybe they’re also here,” Vanitas’ reached for his phone. “Look.”

“ _Your friend_ ,” Sora read out loud. He gasped. “If you’re part of Ventus then-!”

“He could technically be _my_ friend,” Vanitas replied. “We need to find them.”

“Thank you, Chirithy!” Sora exclaimed.

“I’m not sure if I was really of help, but you’re welcome!”

Just as they said so, the Pin ran out of energy. Chirithy disappeared, leaving behind only the Pin in Sora’s hands.

“At least we have a clue,” Vanitas said. “I doubt Ventus’ friend is playing, so he must be at the headquarters being held hostage.”

“Headquarters?” Sora asked.

“I went there on my first run,” Vanitas explained. Sudden annoyance painted his features as he remembered. “A weirdo took me there, saying it had to do with some preparations. The place is dull, but we can-”

“Not so fast!” a cheerful voice called. Sora was unnerved in a second and went to hide behind Vanitas. “This time I’m totally erasing you two!”

“You sure you can do this, Larxene?” Marluxia asked from behind her. “Isn’t this your third try?”

“Shut up! I’m making them pay this time around!” Larxene said. “I’ll erase you!”

Sora got in position and summoned his Keyblade. The way that Larxene’s face morphed into surprise didn’t go unnoticed. Nor the way Marluxia leaned forward, holding her shoulder so she would take a step back.

“He has the Keyblade again,” he said. “We need to retreat.”

“No, we’re not!” she yelled, pushing him away.

Vanitas raised an eyebrow, confused at the way Larxene was acting. She usually listened to everything Marluxia said, but it seemed like something in her was missing.

“They didn’t return their entry fees,” Vanitas said, realization hitting him in an instant. “They’re still missing that.”

That’s why Larxene didn’t listen to Marluxia fully, and why Marluxia seemed almost laid-back. They were missing memories, pieces of themselves. They’d once again forfeited them, in favour of a life where pain didn’t exist.

Without much more thought put into it, Vanitas began to attack.

Larxene hadn’t ever been all that powerful. He’d defeated her back on his first time playing when the idiot had been tricked by Reapers to destroy him in exchange of winning. She hadn’t been able to do much damage but still made Vanitas fight tooth and nail to beat her.

Now that she was a Reaper though, she was more powerful. Realistically, Vanitas should be having a much harder time now.

However, it quickly became obvious that this fight was disproportionally weighted on their side.

And it was all thanks to Sora. 

The boy was more overpowered than Vanitas had initially thought. His theory that Sora had been, in fact, being held back by the shitty excuse of a sword was clear an evident now that he had a decent Keyblade. He slashed through enemy noise and Larxene’s attacks with unprecedented ease. It also took him by surprise to see Sora use Pins that summoned Thunder and Fire. Was that Keyblade really so powerful it could do that?

He hadn’t seen Riku do so many tricks with it…

They were almost done with Larxene when Marluxia stepped in. His featured were glazed in anger and darkness surrounded him.

“Heh, pissed off that your girlfriend lost?” Vanitas said. He could almost feel Sora’s little glare. It did nothing but mildly itch.

But it seemed like Sora was in the correct to try and tell him to shut up since Marluxia actually stepped forward to fight them. Yeah, that wasn’t good.

Marluxia was _actually_ kind of powerful.

He and Sora immediately fell into action and began fighting the guy. Which didn’t end as swiftly as Vanitas had hoped for.

They continued struggling through the fight, barely managing to get a hit, and receiving more damage than before. And thanks to the fact that they were worn down by Larxene before this fight, didn’t do them any favours. Before he realized it, they were both exhausted and on the verge of collapse.

Vanitas could keep going, but Sora looked in trouble. While Sora had grown used to wielding the Keyblade, it didn’t the change the fact he wasn’t a _veteran_ at it. He still held no tactics of his own and could only rely on a trained body to react.

He was easily overpowered by a tactician such as Marluxia.

Vanitas panted, worn down by his own fight.

“Use a Pin, idiot!” was all Vanitas managed to yell.

It helped Sora react. Even if he was about to lose, he reached for his pocket and used a Pin without looking at it.

Vanitas hadn’t known what to expect. He knew Sora had weird Pins that some Noise dropped, and he never used because they were too complicated or needed more Psychs than either had. But he’d never expected, well, this.

Riku appeared on a beam of light, Keyblade ready on hand.

Vanitas had no idea what was going on but was glad for whatever it was that happened. Against everything, he let out a relieved sigh and began fighting with renewed energy.

As much as he _didn’t_ like Riku, the guy was strong. And having him fight on their side was better than nothing at all. Besides, from what Vanitas could tell he moved on perfect balance with Sora. They managed to tire Marluxia out, enough so the guy backed off.

“Let’s get out of here,” he said, grabbing Larxene by the arm.

“But-!” she started to say.

Marluxia’s grip on her arm tightened, and he sent her a glare. It was enough to make her scowl and free her hand from his grip with a yank.

“I hate you,” Larxene said, which only helped prove Vanitas’ theory even more. They had lost their entry fees when they became Reapers. After all, in all his time at the Organization did he hear her utter those words.

Marluxia didn’t show any signs of displeasure or even acknowledgement of her words. He simply pushed her through the portal, and they disappeared in shadows once more.

Vanitas finally let down his guard.

“Care to explain why you’re here?” Vanitas asked Riku.

“I would also like an explanation,” Riku answered, looking to his right and down. Sora gave him a small shrug.

“I just grabbed a Pin,” he explained. “I-I didn’t know it could summon…someone.”

“I don’t know of a single Pin that can do that,” Vanitas said with a frown. “And I’ve seen more Pins than you two combined. Which one was it?”

Before Sora could answer, Riku vanished into thin air, leaving behind only a Pin. Sora went to catch it with both hands as if it were something precious that shouldn’t touch the ground. Vanitas didn’t bother hiding hit dramatic roll of the eyes.

“This one,” Sora said, showing it off.

Vanitas raised an eyebrow.

“The Dream Eater Pin?” he asked. “Why the fuck did it summon Riku, then?”

“Do you think he’s a Dream Eater?” Sora asked.

Vanitas had heard a lot of bullshit, but that one took the cake.

“There’s no way a human can become a Dream Eater,” he said. “You’d have to be like, crazy or something.”

Sora wasn’t convinced. There was something weird about that Summoning Pin. It had summoned Chirithy with no problem, but now it decided to act up?

“Then what do you think it means?”

“Beats me,” Vanitas said with a shrug.

“Sora!”

“Kairi!”

Sora was quick to turn towards where his friend was. She was gleaming, running towards him. And just a few steps behind Riku.

“Glad we found you! You’d be surprised how hard it is to find someone in Shibuya,” Kairi said out of breath. Sora wanted to offer her some water. “We ran all the way from IMAX.”

“Found out what summoned me?” Riku asked. He looked completely fine, like the marathonic run he just had was nothing. Sora could almost pout ay how unfair it was. 

“A Dream Eater Pin,” Vanitas explained. “Care to tell me why?”

“What’s a Dream Eater?” Riku asked.

“Oh, yeah, I forget normal people don’t know what it is,” Vanitas sighed. “It’s basically a creature that eats Nightmares. You know, protects dreams and shit?”

“And why would it summon me?” Riku asked.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Vanitas said.

Riku visibly frowned, lost in thought as he stared at the Pin that Sora had in his hands.

At the strange atmosphere, Kairi spoke.

“You found out what the mission means?” Kairi asked.

“What does your mission say?”

She showed off her phone. The message inside read the same as the one in Vanitas had.

_“Come find me and get your prize. Signed, your friend.”_

“Does everyone have that same message?” Vanitas asked.

Kairi nodded, and Sora reached to check his phone. Indeed, the same message appeared on his phone.

“Does this mean it isn’t just Ventus’ friend?” Sora asked.

“Seems like it,” Vanitas replied.

“We need to find our _friend_ , huh,” Kairi said with a sigh. “What if it means a different friend for everyone?”

“What do you mean?” Vanitas asked.

“Well, we thought it was a message from Riku’s special someone,” Kairi said. “But if you also received it…maybe it means a different friend for everyone?”

“What could your _friend_ be, Princess?” Vanitas asked.

“The same person as Riku’s,” she answered without stopping to think. “I still there’s a reason why we’re partners!”

“Sounds fishy,” Vanitas commented.

“What about you, Sora?” Kairi asked, ignoring Vanitas. “Do you have a friend you need to find?”

Sora’s first instinct was to say he didn’t. After all, when he’d first woken up the only true person he felt he needed to find was Kairi, and she was now fine. But before he could say it, a lump caught in his throat.

Ache filled his heart and the weigh of his necklace suddenly felt like it tripled.

He settled with, “I don’t know.”

The other three stared at him with confusion and pity in their eyes. Sora didn’t like the way they were staring at him. It made him feel weak and useless. And while he knew he wasn’t strong; he didn’t want anyone else looking at him like that.

“Maybe they’re all held in the same place,” Riku said.

“Your ‘river’?” Kairi asked.

Riku gave a simple nod.

“What river?” Vanitas asked.

“Riku told me that there’s a river in Shibuya that leads where the Composer resides,” Kairi said. “He thinks maybe that’s where we should head.”

“How do you know that?” Vanitas asked.

“When I woke up, I didn’t have many memories,” Riku explained. “All I knew with certainty were two things. One, I needed to find That Person. The one who I entered the game for.”

“And two?” Sora asked, a little hesitant, nervous of the answer.

Riku’s eyes hardened.

“That if I wanted that, I needed to find the Composer.”

“Where do you think this river is, then, White Knight?” Vanitas asked, obviously irked by something. Sora wanted to ask, but the pressing matters at hand had left him with little room to say anything.

“The River at the Underpass,” Riku said. “If I’m right, the entry there should be opened. If not-”

“It’ll be closed,” Kairi finished. “Just like every other time we went.”

“We should head there,” Sora said, attracting the eyes of the other three. “We should at least try!”

“Alright,” Vanitas said with a sigh. “Let’s go.”

As they walked there, Sora turned towards Vanitas, worried about his increasingly worsening mood. He reached to take his hand, hoping it would help him calm down. It didn’t do much, but at least Vanitas’ shoulder relaxed.

“You worried about something?” Sora asked.

“Something’s weird about that Riku guy,” Vanitas said.

“Why do you say that?”

“He said he entered the game for someone,” Vanitas said, making emphasis on the ‘entered’. “That means he’s not here against his will. He jumped into this hellhole on his own.”

“So?”

“So? Sora, this game isn’t a field day, you enter it because you have no other _option_ left,” Vanitas snarled. “He’s mocking us.”

“Maybe he didn’t have another option,” Sora tried to reason. “What would you do if Ventus ended up here?”

Vanitas quietened. Lost in thought, he pursed his lips.

“Dunno. Maybe kick his ass until he wins,” he replied.

Sora laughed at this.

“You would also enter the game, wouldn’t you?” Sora said.

“Definitely not,” he replied. But despite what he said, his frame visibly relaxed. The glare he’d been shooting at Riku was also gone in an instant.

They reached the Underpass, and just as they’d predicted the gate was open. They exchanged a nervous look between each other, afraid of what laid beyond the door.

“Sora,” Vanitas whispered. “I need to tell you something?”

Just as the started to speak, Riku and Kairi took a step forward. Sora and Vanitas followed, tailing a few steps behind.

“What is it?” Sora replied, in a whisper too.

The sound of water continued to run, chills running down the spines of all four.

“There’s something I didn’t tell you about the games,” he confessed.

Sora wasn’t sure what could be so important that Vanitas wanted to tell him about it right now. They passed mountains of residual waste, no doubt from the above of Shibuya.

“Do you want to win?”

The question startled him.

“Yeah,” he answered. “Just like everyone else. Don’t you?”

Vanitas remained silent for a second, then smiled.

“Yeah. I do too.”

Vanitas pushed him, and Sora fell down right between Riku and Kairi.

“Run!” Vanitas’ voice.

Sora listened and hurried to get up. He turned around, ready to face whatever enemy had startled Vanitas when-

Sora’s eyes widened as he watched Vanitas start fighting Riku and Kairi.

“Stop!” he screamed. “Don’t fight!”

“Reach for the Composer, idiot!” Vanitas yelled. “I’ll hold them off.”

“What do you mean hold them off!?” Sora asked. He was too confused, unsure of what to do. He didn’t want Kairi and Riku to get hurt, but he couldn’t bring himself to hurt Vanitas in any way.

“I’ll tell you once we win! I promise! Just run!”

“Sora! He’s gone crazy! Don’t listen!” Kairi yelled at the top of her lungs. She evaded a quick attack from Vanitas, while Riku continued to block.

“Sora! Run!”

He had to trust his partner. Sora closed his eyes as tight as he could, tuned out the rest of the world, and yelled.

“You better come meet me!”

And then he ran.

Vanitas smiled.

“I will, idiot,” he said.

“You’re stalling,” Riku pointed out.

“I don’t need to defeat you,” Vanitas said, stopping his attacks out of the nowhere. “He can.”

He moved to the side.

“You wanted the Keyblade boy,” Vanitas said to Marluxia. “He can _also_ wield it.”

“Why shouldn’t I just erase you right now?” Marluxia asked with narrow eyes.

“Should you erase lil old me,” Vanitas said. “Or a pair of players that the Composer wants out?”

Marluxia hummed.

“Run,” he said. “Once I’m done, you’re next.”

* * *

Sora reached the giant door before him. He was scared, more than anything. He couldn’t do this alone, never had been able to do anything all on his own. He needed friends, allies. Without them, he felt powerless, almost like he didn’t matter.

A pat on his back.

“What are you waiting for, loser?”

Sora beamed as he turned towards the voice.

“You made it!”

“Told you I would,” Vanitas replied. “Ready to fight?”

Sora nodded. They opened the door.

Inside a man stood, looking pleased with himself.

“You finally arrived,” he said.

“Are you…the Composer?” Sora asked.

The man shook his head.

“Megumi Kitanji, the Conductor,” he said. “And your final challenge. If you beat me, you will win this game.”

Sora took Vanitas’ hand in his. The anxiety was slowly eating away at him, so to have someone else he could rely on proved to be the best thing to calm it. As long as he had Vanitas, he felt like he could do anything.

They fought. Sora had to use every ounce he had of energy and force himself to use the Keyblade with more than simple muscle memory. Having Vanitas by his side, who as always, was exceptionally good helped a lot.

Barely, just barely, they managed to defeat him. With Sora falling down to his knees and Vanitas standing half-right up, they saw the man smirk.

“You two did well,” he said. “Now-”

“I forfeit,” Vanitas said.

The Conductor raised an eyebrow.

“Vanitas!”

“Only one of us can win,” Vanitas quoted back the rules to the Conductor. The same ones he’d been told when he won the first game. When his partner had been allowed to go back to the real world, and he’d been stuck in this game to play once more. “I forfeit.”

“You can’t do that,” the Conductor said. Vanitas felt the anger bubble up. He was more than ready to start fighting, to get erased just a few minutes before everything was done, just to piss them off, when the Conductor spoke once more. “Now, the Composer will grant your

Vanitas was instantly confused. Wasn’t the objective to meet someone at the Composer’s?

A boy stepped out.

“Sora,” the boy said. “Glad to see you again.”

“You…seem familiar,” Sora said, hesitant.

“I’m wounded that you don’t remember,” the boy said with a smile. It wasn’t pleasant to look at. Vanitas really wanted to punch him in the face. “After all we went through, my friend.”

Friend…

Wait.

“You’re the one who sent the mission,” Vanitas said. “You were referring to Sora.”

“Oh, not just Sora,” the boy said. “Also a very dear friend, who I decided to help this time around.”

“Very dear?”

“You two helped me out once, so I’m just returning the favour,” he explained. “But we can’t have you breaking all rules, can we? So, we still decided to play a little game.”

“You’re crazy,” Vanitas spat out.

The boy simply ignored him, and then faked a gasp.

“Oh, how rude of you, Kitanji,” the boy said. “You should have given their entries back.”

“Apologies,” the man said.

“Let me grant you your entry fees back, then,” the boy said.

He was about to argue, but just then the memories came flushing back into his mind.

Memories of his second time playing the game.

He remembers.

Back when he’d been so pissed, he threw himself headfirst into a fight and accidentally got his partner erased. He was sure he was going to die, and by that point, he hadn’t cared, not one bit.

But then _Sora_ rushed back in.

And suddenly, he knew who Sora was. The Keyblade Boy. The one who wielded the Kingdom Key, the one who held on to Ventus’ light while he’d been asleep.

_‘Come on! I’ll help you out!’_

He’d taken him with some boy, apparently a friend of Sora. They’d managed to stabilize Vanitas’ condition long enough for him to survive the next days. Sora didn’t have a partner and didn’t have his necklace either.

_‘What was your entry fee?’_ he’d asked.

Sora had only replied _‘a connection’._

The boy had helped him out, no matter how much Vanitas refused his help. It was only because of him that he managed to survive his second week in the game. And in truth, the time they spent together he’d grown to even care for the little brat.

Always assuring him they’d find Ventus. That they would make things right. And then the fleeting reminder that just one of them could survive. Vanitas didn’t have anything to go back to. No family, no friends. Even Ventus’ would eventually give up on him.

But Sora was light. He had friends and family to go back to. If he were gone, everyone would miss him. The idea to forfeit and become a Reaper was clear in his mind.

That’s when they’d seen him.

‘Sora!’ Riku.

Why was that idiot here too?

Apparently to rescue Sora from the game. Vanitas felt like he could have done it all alone.

But interference from people who’re still alive is forbidden. The game had become null. And while Vanitas wanted nothing more than to become a Reaper, forfeit everything just like the rest of what was left of Organization XIII had done…he couldn’t.

He still had to protect Sora. Make sure he went back to the real world. Make sure he was safe.

The entry fees from the previous game carried over, and he had to offer one knew. _The one thing he valued the most._

_‘The memories you and Sora share of this game,’_ was the answer from the Conductor.

He’d grown to care for the idiot. And apparently, those feelings had been strong enough to influence his actions in the next game, even if he hadn’t known it. Despite himself, Vanitas had reached out to Sora. Just to protect him, this time as his partner.

Vanitas groaned from the new memories attached to him. But, when he turned to his side, he realized he’d been the one to less of a toll.

Sora was groaning and panting by his side, head gripped between his hands as he curled up in his place. Vanitas rushed to his side, glaring at the Composer.

“What did you do to him?” Vanitas growled.

“Jo-Joshua…?” Sora asked, a helpless whimper as he stared at the boy.

The Composer’s eyes gleamed in silent glee.

“A heart is a heavy burden,” Joshua said. “But the heaviest part is the connections it has.”

“Connections?” Vanitas asked.

“His second entry fee was all connections attached to his heart,” Joshua explained. “Having all those memories returned to him is going to hurt, but they were his. I’m just returning them all to where they belonged.”

Connections. Is that why he suddenly remembered Sora before the game? Is this why Chirithy couldn’t remember him back when they asked about ‘ _Ventus’ friend’?_

All that Vanitas could do was continue to support Sora from the side. All the more question began to bubble to the surface but one pressing one continued to echo in his mind. One that had formed ever since he first saw Sora.

“What was his first entry fee?”

Joshua blinked.

“I guess you wouldn’t know, huh?” he asked with a smirk. Vanitas had to use all self-restraint not to jump and smack the idiot straight on the cheek. “The necklace and the link he has with it.”

“What?”

“Do I need to go over it with you?” Joshua asked, irked. If Sora weren’t still in pain in Vanitas’ arms, he’d already fought the asshole.

“The necklace…?” Sora asked, very slowly.

Joshua’s attitude changed when he looked at Sora. Almost without malice in the way he spoke. Maybe because Sora was the type of person to earnestly believe whatever Joshua said. Even he would feel guilty over tricking or mocking someone like Sora.

“You remember everything now?”

Sora shook his head.

“There are still gaps…” he said. “They’re…bigger now?”

Sora couldn’t explain it. Before, large chunks of his memory were gone but he could pretend they were never there. Could imagine his life had stopped at Destiny Islands. But with the connections slowly coming back, it was harder to pretend they weren’t there.

Mostly because one particular person was missing.

“Something’s missing,” he cried. “Why is there still something missing?!”

Sora’s eyes began to water, feeling the confusion overwhelm him to the point he couldn’t know what was going on.

“Because it wasn’t your entry fee,” Joshua said. Then, he looked at the door before him. “It was his.”

“Sora!”

A voice echoed between them.

“Riku…?” Sora managed to ask.

“Other people wouldn’t remember you if your connections are broken,” Joshua explained. “But _you_ didn’t remember, because someone else stole them.”

“Joshua,” Riku said with a deadly glare in his eyes. “Give him back.”

“Glad to see you remember me,” Joshua said. “I’m impressed. I thought you would definitely get erased, or at least lose our bet.”

“Bet?” Vanitas asked.

“We won,” Riku said.

“No, _Sora_ won,” Joshua said. “Our bet was: that you and he would be here. As it stands, only Sora reached on time.”

Riku’s frown deepened.

“Can someone please tell me what’s going on?” Kairi asked with huffed breath. She was full of battle scars and tired.

“Ah, let me give your entry fees back,” Joshua said.

Kairi’s memories returned. After all, they were the only thing truly hers. The one thing that she didn’t share with anyone, the one part that wasn’t bound to Sora in any way.

And with it, all came flooding back. The war, her death, Sora rushing to bring her back, and him disappearing after it. How they’d searched for months and months until they found a world in Shibuya that seemed to be where Sora’s remaining soul was stored.

They reached here, where they were told the only way to save Sora was by winning the game. They accepted the conditions. They had to survive an entire week and reach back to Joshua’s place. And only then, would they be granted Sora’s soul back.

Riku didn’t even flinch. Nothing had returned to him.

But Sora let out a new cry.

“What was your entry fee?” Vanitas asked Riku with a glare.

“The memories Sora has of me,” Riku said. When he said that, his glare deepened at Joshua. It was clear that having that taken away from him had pissed him off more than anything else. It was true pain, not to be remembered by those you loved.

“Riku?” Sora’s voice travelled through the air. Finally, that name was being said with emotion. True and unbidden emotion.

Kairi let go of Riku. Even if he was badly injured, she knew there was no point in holding him any longer. Riku staggered towards Sora, wrapping his arms around the frame of the younger boy.

“You’re safe,” Riku breathed. Finally, truly breathed. “You’re safe.”

He squished Sora’s body flushed against his. Couldn’t bring himself to get separated once more. Small hands reached to grab him by the face, gently wiping away the tears that formed in Riku’s cheeks.

“What a touching reunion,” Joshua said from the other side of the room. “Although, I must say you’re not out of the woods, yet.”

“Ah! Joshua!” Sora was quick to beam at the boy.

“Good to see you remember now,” he said.

It was obvious that he couldn’t remember Joshua. After all, they met during the Master Exam. The time when Riku dived into Sora’s dream. The entire thing had been completely wiped away from Sora’s memory.

“Only one person can win,” Vanitas said. “Isn’t that right?”

“Unfortunately, you’re right,” Joshua said. “But as I find it hard to turn my back on a friend. How about a little bet Sora?”

“Bet?” Sora asked.

“A duel,” he replied. “If you win, I’ll grant you whatever you want. And if I win, you do whatever I want. Sound fair?”

“I don’t trust you,” Riku said with a glare.

“Good thing this isn’t your fight, Riku,” Joshua said with a gleam in his eyes. Then turned towards Sora. “Then, Sora?”

“We’re friends,” Sora said, his usual smile still shining through. “So, I trust you, Joshua.”

“You shouldn’t,” Joshua said, a melancholic smile in his face.

“I’ve never been smart, right?” Sora chuckled.

“You really haven’t.”

Joshua tossed Sora a gun, who caught it with both hands.

“Ready?”

Sora gave a very small nod.

They pointed the gun at each other. A second stayed between them. Sora closed his eyes, and the sound of a gunshot echoed.

* * *

Day ???

* * *

Sora woke up to a familiar face.

“You survived,” a chuckle escaped the voice.

“Neku?” Sora asked.

“Thank God,” Neku said. He let out a loud sigh and offered him a hand. Sora rook it. “You know, when I said ‘ _See you in Shibuya_ ’ this wasn’t what I had in mind.”

Sora got up and looked around. People finally saw him, all around. A heavy weight that had been in the back of his throat finally released and he couldn’t help reaching to hug his friend in the euphoria.

“Is everything alright?” a voice called. Sora turned quick to see Kairi standing there. Bright and cheerful, just as he remembered. “You slept for a while, you know?”

“Kairi!”

“You’re such a lazy bum, Sora,” she giggled.

“Everyone made it out?” he asked.

She turned to see Vanitas. He was uncomfortably standing a few meters away. In an instant, Sora’s heart filled with relief.

“So did you boyfriend, by the way,” Neku commented.

Sora instantly blushed.

“He’s not my boyfriend,” he mumbled.

“Tell that to someone who believes you,” Kairi whispered to his ear, as she smirked. “I’m not the one who got her memories taken away because I’m _so in love_ with my childhood best friend.”

Sora attempted to push her away, face burning. He glanced downwards, thankful to see his necklace still intact laying on top of his chest.

“That’s not it,” he mumbled.

“ _That’s not it_ ,” Kairi mimicked with a roll of the eyes. “I do not get paid enough to deal with you two, pining idiots.”

Sora fidgeted in his place, a thing that Kairi was quick to notice. They stayed there for an entire minute, in which only annoyance seemed to grow in Kairi’s eyes.

“Ask,” she said.

Sora gave her a nervous smile.

_“Where’s Riku?”_ even the question sounded like a question on itself. Kairi sighed.

“Why don’t you tell me?” she said. Her finger pointed at Sora’s necklace. “Isn’t that what this is for?”

Sora flushed once more. That’s **_not_** how it worked. Sure, back when they were kids, Riku gifted it to him saying “no matter what happens, as long as you have it, I’ll find you”. It was proof of their connection, a link they couldn’t break no matter how much Riku had tried those years ago.

But that was when they were kids, and it didn’t work if Sora was the one searching. He’d tried that already.

Just as he was about to open his mouth and tell Kairi to just _tell him already_ , Sora felt a pair of arms wrap around him from behind. He promptly ignored the way Kairi was smirking, in favour of turning his head around.

Teal, the colour of the ocean back home, the colour that filled his dreams after the nightmares disappeared. Sora felt his own smile against the arms that were so keenly enveloping his body.

“I found,” Riku whispered. He tightened the embrace, bringing Sora so flush against his body neither could move. “I _found_ you.”

“Riku,” Sora breathed. A perfectly still moment, in which he let all the love inside his heart overflow until it filled every inch of his skin.

“I searched for you everywhere,” Riku said. His voice was broken, and Sora felt the wetness of his tears against his neck. “But you’re _here_.”

Sora turned around, just so he could return the hug. It almost hurt from how close they were, from how tight their embrace was. But Sora couldn’t care. Not when, after having their link severed for so long, he could finally reach out once more.

Finally, he was home.

**Author's Note:**

> I lost control of this. 
> 
> this was supposed to be a very small, very short fic based on this amazing [tweet ](https://twitter.com/minami_aoi24/status/1248230418068856832?s=20) i found, but i got a bit excited! It felt so weird to finish it bcs I've been working on it for literally weeks! 
> 
> But I'm so happy i finally got to finish and share it! Thanks a lot for reading <3


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